Piracy on the High Seas: America Has Been Here Before

By Colonel Rob Maness (Ret.)

March 24, 2025

As I sit in my office, staring at the U.S. Navy artwork titled Payment in Iron, depicting the USS Constitution leading the charge against pirates during the Jefferson administration, I’m reminded of a timeless truth: America is a maritime nation. Our strength, security, and prosperity have always depended on our ability to command the seas. Yet today, we stand at a perilous crossroads. Our naval and merchant marine capabilities are stretched thin, our shipbuilding industry is a shadow of its former self, and our adversaries, chief among them China, are exploiting our weaknesses. On a recent episode of The Rob Maness Show, I sat down with U.S. Merchant Marine Captain John Konrad, founder of gCaptain, to unpack this crisis and chart a path forward. What we discussed should serve as a wake-up call to every American.

The Houthi Threat: Piracy Redux

Since 2023, the Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, have wreaked havoc in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, attacking international commercial vessels and U.S. service members while conspicuously sparing Chinese-flagged ships. These attacks have forced cargo ships to detour around Africa, driving up costs and contributing to global inflation. The State Department has designated the Houthis a foreign terrorist organization, a move reinforced by the Trump administration, signaling an ironclad commitment to neutralizing this threat. As I noted on the show, this isn’t a new challenge for America. We’ve faced piracy before, and our Navy has a storied tradition of defending freedom of navigation. Today, that mission continues as we strike Houthi targets in Yemen to protect vital shipping lanes.

But the Houthis are just one piece of a larger puzzle. Iran provides them with targeting intelligence and command-and-control support, while China, via its economic ties with Iran, benefits from the chaos. As Captain John Konrad pointed out, “China is sitting there watching them perform… getting intelligence on our capabilities and potential weaknesses.” With a naval base in Djibouti and a fleet surpassing ours in size, China is poised to exploit any misstep. Why don’t the Houthis attack Chinese ships? Simple: “China likely told Iran, who told the Houthis, lay off our ships,” Konrad explained. This selective aggression underscores a strategic alignment that threatens U.S. interests.

A Navy Stretched Thin

Our response to the Houthis reveals a deeper problem: our Navy is overextended. We’re firing million-dollar missiles at $20,000 Houthi drones, expending billions and depleting our stockpiles. Destroyers, limited to 96 missiles each, must return to Bahrain for reloading, a logistical bottleneck the Norwegians have solved but we haven’t. Meanwhile, we’re moving carrier battle groups from the Indo-Pacific to the Middle East, a decision I questioned Konrad about. “It’s not a wise move at all,” he replied. With only 72 destroyers, only a third deployable at any time, and 11 carriers (nine operational, four deployed), we’re leaving gaping holes in the Pacific, where China looms largest.

The Pacific’s sheer size compounds this vulnerability. As a former bomber pilot who’s flown from Diego Garcia to Southwest Asia, I can attest to its vastness. Most Americans don’t grasp it, and I asked Konrad if our naval leadership does. “They understand,” he said, “but it’s a logistics problem.” Our best destroyers and bombers are useless without fuel and munitions, yet our Ready Reserve Fleet, tested in 2018 with a dismal 40% success rate, can’t deliver. We’ve cut our merchant fleet to 82 ships in international service, while China boasts 5,500. In a conflict over Taiwan, Konrad warned, “There’s no way we have the capability beyond a week or two to prevent that from happening.” It’s a numbers game we’re losing.

The Merchant Marine: America’s Forgotten Service

The U.S. Merchant Marine, once the backbone of our wartime logistics, is equally beleaguered. Historically, it’s been a priority, think of the SEALs parachuting in to retake the Maersk Alabama from Somali pirates. Yet under the Biden administration, Konrad revealed a shocking betrayal: “For the first time in U.S. history, [they] were abandoned by our government within missile range for four weeks.” No defenses beyond small arms, no support from Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Contrast this with World War II, when merchant ships bristled with naval gunnery, or the Iraq War, when National Guard units provided .50 calibers and air support. Today, our 10 tankers in the Tanker Security Program, crucial for supplying jet fuel and diesel, are sitting ducks. One was recently rammed off Scotland, a stark reminder of our fragility.

Shipbuilding: The Key to Resurrection

President Trump has recognized this crisis, announcing a new White House Office of Shipbuilding and tax incentives to revitalize the industry. It’s a bold step, one I’ve advocated for alongside experts like Konrad and Congressman Mike Waltz. The numbers are staggering: America builds five merchant ships annually; China builds 1,700. For every ship we launch, they build 350. Their merchant fleet is militarized, built to withstand attack, and their shipyards double as naval production hubs. We’ve lost that dual-use capacity, relying on private companies like Ingalls and Bollinger while our commercial shipbuilding atrophies.

How do we turn this around? Konrad outlined a three-pronged approach: awareness, national will, and money. First, we must overcome “sea blindness,” re-educating Americans about our maritime heritage. Second, we need unity across government, merchant mariners at the table with the DoD and State Department. Third, we must redirect Wall Street’s investments from Chinese yards to ours. But there’s a catch: bureaucracy. Konrad highlighted the $9 billion in contracts at VT Halter sold for $16 million due to delays and red tape. From OSHA regulations to California’s firefighting foam bans, government stifles progress. “We desperately need Elon Musk to come in there and cut the red tape,” Konrad urged.

A Call to Arms, and Ships

Colonel Gannon Burton, an audience member, raised a critical point: we once aimed to fight two major regional wars simultaneously, a capability Joint Forces Command helped ensure until its dissolution. “Is that being readdressed?” he asked. Accountability, Konrad agreed, is key. NAVSEA, with 83,000 employees, hasn’t delivered a ship on time this century, yet no one’s been fired. We need a maritime strategy, realistic war games with logistics front and center, and exercises like the Louisiana Maneuvers I’ve called for in the Pacific.

This isn’t about endless war, it’s about peace through strength. Stopping the Houthis, deterring China, and securing our sea lanes are core missions. To every American with capital and vision: start a shipbuilding company. To every citizen: demand action. Go to gCaptain for the unvarnished truth. Our future depends on it. As Payment in Iron reminds me daily, victory at sea is won through logistics, resolve, and the will to act. Let’s reclaim that legacy, before it’s too late.